The present invention relates to drainage devices, and more particularly to catheterization systems.
A various assortment of catheterization systems have been proposed in the past for use in collecting urine from the bladder of a patient. In the usual case, the systems comprise a urinary or Foley catheter having an inflatable balloon and drainage eye adjacent a distal end of the catheter shaft, and a drainage lumen in the shaft communicating with the drainage eye. During placement, the catheter is passed through the urethra until the distal end of the catheter is located in the bladder, and the balloon is inflated to retain the catheter in place. During catheterization, urine drains through the catheter eye and lumen, and through a drainage tube to a collection bag for retention therein.
Although many such drainage systems have been found satisfactory, they are designed for use over prolonged periods of time. In many instances, however, it is desirable to temporarily catheterize a patient, particularly a female patient, in order to obtain an aseptic sample of urine for purposes of analysis. Hence, such specimen catheterization systems are utilized for a relatively short period of time, and should permit simplified placement and use by the physician without contamination of the urine specimen.